It lives, then dies
by Ferrum
Summary: [VP2] Woltar and Lylia. How it starts and how it ends.


**01. Open**

It was the time for the bird to move from a cage to another; from an already beautiful cage to a more magnificent cage; a cage that all birds outside dreamt to live in. The birds outside also admired how the cage showered the one bird with shining jewelries and elegant silks, while they didn't realize that the bird could not fly in it. A cage would always be a cage.

Nevertheless, no one would care, because this bird was not meant to fly. This bird was to be in her cage; to be awed, to be respected and to be worshipped by the other birds.

The bird with strong wings, but was never allowed to fly. The bird always wept, in her cage filled with diamonds and satins.

The bird was still crying the morning they opened the door of her cage that led to another. She wasn't aware there was a hand reaching hers, pulling her, forcing her to stretch, to flap her wings, up to the open sky.

**02. Strangers**

When she realized it, her feet were already on the ground, on the field she had never seen before. On the grass where there were ancient symbols, runes, drawn in red that smelled like iron. She immediately knew what it was.

"Was that magic?" She voiced, knowing that answer would come from the person who made the drawings on the greens of grass.

"Magic is what some people call it." A voice replied from her back. "It's a transportation circle."

She turned her back, smiling to the man in a dark robe who just had given her a taste of freedom. "Are you the one who saved me, magician?"

"I would prefer to call myself a scientist, an alchemist, for I've never made magic nor miracles happen before," a tone of doubt, "nor I've ever been thanked for saving people's lives before."

"You just have." She stepped out from the circle. "You've rescued me from making the biggest mistake of my life. My name is Lylia. Is there anything that I can do to repay you, Sir…?"

The hood of his robe covered the glint of surprise in his eyes, but his opened mouth then closed, turning from amazement, wonder, and decision. "I'm what they called with Woltar. I'm here to have a strand of a holy maiden's hair…before she can be soiled by anything else…" Her shoulders trembled at the words. He continued his words, carefully, "Let's say for _an experiment_… I'll return you to the castle once I got it."

She breathed fear at his last words. "You can take as many as you like." A tone of insecurity came into her voice as she caught the sight of the Crell Monferaigne Castle from afar, "but please take me away from here."

There was only silence as her eyes fought for the fulfillment of her request.

"If you haven't made the biggest mistake of your life, milady," he said as she lifted the white veil that was covering her face, and tried not to hold his breath as she did so, "you are certainly doing it right now."

**03. Outside **

"Where actually are we going?" He asked hours later, the time when darkness slowly started to creep over the entrance of Crawsus forest, "You actually don't have any place to go, do you?"

He did not hear any answer from her. He turned and saw awe on her face stopping her from hearing his voice. He decided to ask again as he stepped to her side, "do you know where you are going?"

"Whe… where is this place?" She asked him back. He heard fear, wonder, and excitement written in the tone of her voice.

"So you _really_ don't know." He smiled mysteriously, "That's interesting…"

His last words made her quickly cover her opened mouth with her hands, "I don't know what you mean. We happen to go to this same direction."

"We are?" He said with an irony in his voice, "then I'll have to leave you right here, because, unfortunately, my destination is on that way," he pointed at the opposite side of her view.

"Wait," She pulled his dark robe. "I mean…"

"So then, shall I transport you back to Crell Monferaigne castle?"

"No!" Her grip tightened of fear to be caged again inside royal walls, the fear of losing her newly found freedom. "Maybe I do not have any place to go, but I don't want to go back to that place. Please."

The same night, a girl with a stained wedding gown entered Salerno Laboratory for the first time; and there she was where she would be until the last month before her death.

**04. Entertainment**

At the sight of horror in front of his eyes, Woltar decided to ask in a very intrigued tone, "Tell me, milady. Have you never washed dishes? Or… should I suppose, you have ever entered a kitchen before?"

"I'm terribly sorry. I promised that I would never cause you trouble, but…"

"Just tell me what they have taught you in the castle. Maybe I can give you a more appropriate job."

"Oh," Her hands nervously rubbed the surface of the plate, greasy from cooking oil although it had been washed, with an unreasonable amount of soap. "They taught me how to pray, read the holy texts, sing hymns," her sore eyes now looking at the nearly flooded floor, clearly avoiding his sinister sight, "dance, oh I can read and use bow and arrows too!" The last clause was said with a hopeful tone.

"Good for you," his voice sounded sarcastic. "At least you can fight back if I'm going to kill you."

She immediately took a step back, cowering.

"Haven't you been asking what I am doing in my private research room, milady?" A step forward towards her, his voice turned deep. "Do you know what experiment I held in my laboratory? Have you ever wondered about the screams you hear every night?"

She felt an eerie wind rubbing her spine as she shook her head. She knew that the magician was well aware of the source of her sleepless nights. In fact, the dark circles on her eyes were the results of it.

"Those were mandrakes." A playful smirk and a satisfied smile on his face, seeing her dreaded face. An enjoyment of watching her reactions. "I planted some near the laboratory too. You should watch out, don't pick any of them by accident."

She was still in a state of shock when he took her shaking hands, "Here, at least you should learn how to clean the mess."

**05. Romance**

She had forgotten about the wedding dress she wore on the first night in Salerno. The second day there, the alchemist had brought her a peasant dress he bought in the nearest village. Now, the long-forgotten wedding dress is covered in almost one year of dust.

"How about washing and selling it for OTHs?" She asked Woltar, the moment she had found the wedding dress again.

"Are you sure?" Woltar questioned her back, after taking his eyes off the research papers and rune maps, lying on the table in front of him. "People would recognize the wedding dress of Crell Monferaigne's royal bride. Why do you think I refused to sell your jewelries to the stores, in the first place?"

His words silenced her in realization.

"We, at least, I, as far as I'm concerned, don't need OTH that much, unless you have something you want, milady." His eyes darted back to the lines of alphabets of his research. "With that much money, you can travel to Dipan or Villnoire before you get tracked, and lead a happy life there."

"If that's the case," a tremble in her face, "I'd rather keep the dress."

"Yes, you probably want to wear it when you return to the castle." His voice was without interest. He stole a glance to see her reaction. When hurt and fear colored her eyes, he was not all surprised. "Of course I was not serious, milady. I can give you OTH, as a payment for taking care of this place, although I'm not sure it will cover the price of the dress."

"A little is alright," She relaxed when she saw his smile. "I just need some to buy some materials."

A week later, Lylia gave him a dark violet robe that matched his eyes; an anniversary gift for saving her life the year before. He gave her a kiss on her forehead as gratitude. To his own amusement, this act rewarded him a deep blush on the maiden's cheek.

The next year, Lylia presented him, a daughter.

**06. Anger**

It had been almost six springs since she could free Salerno Laboratory from dust with her own two hands and hard work;

Five springs since she could make delicious dinner for two;

Four springs since they welcomed another soul in their family;

Three springs since their daughter spoke the word, "Father," and walked to her husband;

Two springs since he had completed the cure for an unknown illness that had attacked an isolated village for seven long years…

A spring since he said, he would never let her go back to Crell Monferaigne, and she answered that she would not return, because she had found her life, there, at Salerno. Five springs marked the fifth year of their meeting. They were thankful they had found each other.

A week since she saw that woodcutter in the deep forest of Salerno.

A minute since she heard an unfamiliar noise, shouts came behind the entrance of the Salerno Laboratory. Sounds of hands slamming the door. More shouts. More screams. Her daughter cried soon after.

A second since she realized what it was.

Her husband came, "The Crell Monferaigne royal army." His expression was unreadable. "It seems that they had come to take you."

An emotion that she had felt countless times before entering Salerno, came, visiting her heart once more. Anger opened an invisible door to her inner self; crushing her heart, burning her stomach, and scattering her brain; trying to make a place for itself.

She was about to vomit rage. Yes, she had to do it. Or else, it would eat her, whole.

**07. Opportunity**

He touched her hands, giving a reassuring grip, but fury paralyzed her from returning his grip.

He embraced her, whispering her name to her ears, but her ears failed to hear his voice. He was saying something, but her fear didn't let her understand what he was saying.

He was letting her go from his arms, but her weakness didn't let her chase him.

He left her in the room with their still crying daughter.

She stared blankly at the closed door, still didn't understand what was happening. Emotions were numbing her senses.

A quake on the laboratory took her consciousness back. She could hear her husband's calls of spells and magic, no, alchemy. He was fighting back… He wouldn't return her to Crell Monferaigne. He wanted her there. She smiled when she thought it.

"_They sent a legion of Crell Monferaigne soldiers here… to tell you the truth, I'm not sure that I can beat all of them, but I won't let you go that easily…"_

… And she just couldn't stand there. She was going to help him.

She stood up and reached the door, only to realize that it was locked…from outside…

"_I will go. You stay here and wait for me, and if…"_

She started to hit the door with her hands, remembering the silent words he had said a few moments ago.

"…_if I don't come back, go with them. Do not tell them the truth; just say what they want to hear from you… Play their game… for you and for our daughter…"_

Her hands started to bleed as she scratched the wooden door, screaming his name.

"_Both of you still have a road to walk on…"_

She cried at every blasting sound she heard from behind the door.

"_I'm happy I could walk in the same path as you, Lylia…"_

**08. Ocean**

A few hours later the door was opened. She didn't look up, because she knew that her husband wouldn't be the one who assure freedom for her. Freedom was long gone the moment she heard the last sound of blast followed by footsteps of metal greaves on the hall.

"Your Highness!" They called with relief. "Thank goodness you're alright!"

She closed her eyes, restraining anger and sadness. She had stopped crying once she realized she was the only one left for their daughter. She barely nodded.

Knights in armor approached her, offering a bloody hand. "We came to rescue you. You can relax now. We're going back to the castle."

"Yes," She looked at the hand, the hand that had probably killed Woltar. She took it, trying not to jump and strangle the knight. Her knees were shaken as she stood. Her daughter's hands were clutching tightly to her skirt, crying, 'Mother! Mother! Where's father? Where are we going?'

The soldiers, especially the knight who had her hand gave a questioning glance. She remembered the last words of her husband, trying not to say the next line with a vigorous intent to kill the knight. "My child," she answered, her tone was unexpectedly sad and lonely, "from that…" she held her breath praying for his forgiveness, "bastard…"

The soldiers look surprised, but they didn't say anything.

"Shall I…?"

Lylia's eyes widened when she saw the knight's hands reaching for his sword. She immediately added, "But I came to have attachment with her. She was my only friend here… Whoever the father is, she's still my child…" The last clause was said truthfully.

…but the child could only glance back at the mother with betrayal and disbelief. She stopped crying and her hands dropped from her mother's skirt.

Lylia avoided her daughter's eyes. She walked away and said, "Where's he?"

The knight sheathed back the sword. "Come, milady, I shall escort you to the devil's last standing, so you can at last rest in peace."

Her daughter followed her back, half pushed by the soldiers behind her little body. She silently prayed that her last precious living being in Midgard wouldn't be hurt by anyone. Her prayers stopped when the knight halted her in front of a scene.

… She almost screamed, wailed the cry that no one ever cried.

… She almost poured the tears that no one ever shed.

… But she didn't.

… She looked behind her back, hoping that her daughter didn't see it.

… But Lydia did.

Her daughter screamed, wailed the cry that no one every cried, poured all the tears that no one ever shed; all the terror that Lylia had drank back. Lydia rushed to the remaining, scattered bodies of her father. She slipped because of sadness; fell into the ocean of blood…

**09. Picky**

Six years after the last time, the king of Crell Monferaigne saw Lylia, the shy holy maiden from a noble family. That time, the girl was innocent and filled with purity. He believed that he could give everything he had to make her smile.

She had been stained when she came back with a little girl she called daughter; but he still believe he could give all the support to cheer and lift her spirit, after six years being kidnapped by a dark wizard.

Unfortunately, the former maiden of Freya was now hard to please. No silk, no diamonds, no music, no words could take her empty gaze off the window.

This was unfair, the king thought. The king had been patient all his life to marry the girl, and the wizard did not only take her virginity, the alchemist even traumatized her.

She only need time, said one of his advisor.

The king nodded at the answer. If it took time to have her attention back to him, then he shall give it.

But even patience had its limit…

A month later, the king's tolerance had come to an end…

**10. Flying**

The bird ran from the reaching hands. She used up the last of her breaths to reach the end of her cage.

The king's eyes were hungry, and she knew she wouldn't stay untainted by anyone other than her beloved savior. She cried. She would rather die than taking the humiliation. She wouldn't have a face to meet Woltar in the other world.

The king was calling her and she retreated, until the end was very near.

Yes, she would rather die.

The bird couldn't fly, not without her lover's hands, but she'd rather meet her end than falling into polluting hands.

She jumped…

She saw the king's surprised face.  
She heard her distant daughter's cries.

She felt her husband's invisible hands.

… Then the bird was flying to meet her end.

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I played the JP version, so I don't know if there's any change in the game for the NA version.

This story is for overlook LJ community. Beta-ed by Deeds. Thank you so much.

If you're asking, yes, they're canon.


End file.
